Re accommodation is it not normal to expect free WiFi in bedrooms nowadays? I could hardly believe it at Hull, staying in the Royal Hotel adjacent to the station, WiFi was free in the lobby (but you had to log on again every 30 minutes). In the bedrooms it was free for just two 20-minute sessions pe...

Yes, Short was the red herring, not to be included in the 4-grandmaster group. 'He' goes with the 'list' group: waiting, laundry and bucket. Pert was possibly another red herring, close to brassy, forward, fresh and smart.

The contestants looked blank even when they were told about the grandmasters.

Señor Paul F. Habershon, a regular contributor to this forum, taught a class I was in how to properly write a letter in 1971. Where did he stand on split infinitives? I certainly stood against split infinitives in 1971, but now I suppose, as a Times subscriber, I must follow Oliver Kamm aka The Ped...

*So' should have been proclaimed 'Word of the Year' instead of 'youthquake'. Have you noticed how frequently it is used in broadcast interviews and general conversation? I have no strong objection to it. Probably better than 'well'. Go, Wesley!

Bedford CC used to hold a lightning tournament every September as a curtain raiser to the season. No longer. They were good fun but bad for the nerves. The main irritant was players stealing seconds by not moving promptly. It was a bit unfriendly to claim by default so the best you could do was to w...